edited to add -- it's not reflected in that list, but according to posts by the goon who knows everthing, there is a series of paragon/renegade checks you can pass at the endgame that will lower the "best" number to 4000.

Mass Effect 3 is set to be released in a few weeks so it seems like time to set up a thread for it.

The Demo is set to be released on all platforms tomorrow. Happy Valentines Day! It will consist of 2 single player levels and two co-op multiplayer areas.

Details on the Demo with some very minor spoilers

Spoiler: show

The demo hits PS3, Xbox 360 and PC tomorrow, and will be a 2GB download on consoles, according to BioWare - check out everything else you need to know about the ME3 demo below:

- The Mass Effect 3 demo will include both single and co-op modes.

- Players will be able to create a male or female Shepard, customize their appearance, and level up their character’s abilities and powers.

- The demo will be available until 5 March.

Mass Effect 3 Demo: Single-player

- The single-player portion can be played using either Action, RPG, or Story settings.

- The single player portion includes two missions: ME3's opening level featuring the Reaper attack on Earth, and a later level in which Shepard travels to an alien home world to seek their assistance in the war effort.

- The single-player portion will comprise 1-2 hours of play time.

- On Xbox 360, the demo supports Kinect.

- You won't be able to choose squad-mates.

- The story portion could contain minor spoilers according to BioWare.

- BioWare has hinted at full game unlockables for playing the demo - you'll also unlock items for Kingdoms of Amalur.

Mass Effect 3 Demo: Multiplayer

- The co-op multiplayer portion includes 2 maps: Slum and Noveria.

- Co-op is only open to players who have qualified for the early multiplayer access as of 14 February - it will be open to all players from 17 February.

- The demo does not support imported saves or split-screen co-op.

- The co-op mode includes all six classes from the full game: Soldier, Vanguard, Sentinel, Engineer, Infiltrator and Adept.

- No data/XP will be carried over from the demo into the final game.

Mass Effect 3 Demo on PC

- An Origin account is required on PC

For the first time ME will include Multiplayer combat. Thankfully for Single Player fans, Multiplayer mode is completely separate from Single Player. In multiplayer, players will create custom characters to fight on different and unique fronts in the war. This will include the ability to play as favorites like Turians, Krogans, Asari and more... each with their own unique set of abilities. Your multiplayer character will be able to level up as you play.

What is interesting is that they have made it so that your multiplayer actions may effect the single player game. What they are calling the The Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system looks to provide something called readiness which can have an effect on the single player game.

From the official FAQ

Quote:

ME3 is a story about a war against overwhelming force where the most you can hope for us survival. The more you do to fight that war, the more you can change that story into a more optimistic one.

You can reach the highest levels of success in the single player experience alone, but Galaxy at War gives you alternative ways to get there.

They also seems to have listened to some of the complaints about the ME2 equipment design by offering the ability to upgrade your weapons. From one of the videos it seems like your carrying weight will have an effect on your Biotic poer recharge. The brief glimpses also seem to show an expanded skill selection menu.

I am excite. I know that the first two games had their faults, but all in all they were still very fun games to play through (multiple times). I'm really hoping this last one wraps up the series nicely.

You will be able to do many of the basic commands and squad orders via voice command. You can also command your squad mades to use their special abilities. From the video you seem to be able to order your squad mates around as well as switch weapons and throw grenades. I am assuming that reload would be included.

I am curious if they have any intention of allowing the voice commands for PC users with a mic. Obviously it won't allow eye tracking but even the ability to switch weapons or reload by voice would be great.

Some first hand reports

Quote:

Most important of all is that this Kinect integration just works. When you say sniper rifle, Shepherd switches to his sniper rifle. Saying "Adrenaline Rush" activates the biotic power. Say "James, Move" and your squad mate moves to the location you have pointed out. During the entire demo, I never once had a voice command not register properly.

...

Kinect can also be used for various contextual commands out-of-combat, including opening doors, initiating NPC conversation, and picking up or examining items. Here the Kinect options felt more gimmicky. Why would I say "open" when standing in front of a door, instead of just hitting the A button?

Out-of-combat gimmickry aside, the ability to play through entire Mass Effect action set-pieces without ever accessing the game's power wheel felt great – it might be hard to go back. Executing complex & lengthy strings of combat used to mean staring at menus more than the game itself. But now it's seamless:

"Liara Stasis. James Frag Grenade." – First enemy down

"Sniper Rifle. Adrenaline Rush." – Line up shots, & enemies two and three are down.

EA has emphasized that these are all optional, that you can maximize a good ending in the base game, and I did get the best ending on my first playthrough of ME2 by meticulously doing each side mission, so *shrug*.

I am going to play the heck out of co-op with my buddy tomorrow. As for SP, I'll skip it until it's out. I actually took some time off this week to do a final ME1+ME2 playthrough (I lost all my saves earlier this year... all ~4.5 playthroughs).

I am going to play the heck out of co-op with my buddy tomorrow. As for SP, I'll skip it until it's out. I actually took some time off this week to do a final ME1+ME2 playthrough (I lost all my saves earlier this year... all ~4.5 playthroughs).

I'm also in the "I'm going to get it anyway, so no need to play the demo" camp, but is there some sort of eventual reward for playing the demo, like the "play the Kingdom of Amular demo and get a ME3 item" thing?

Thanks for the great idea. Just symlinked (mklink /d) my ME and ME2 folders into Dropbox.

I'm definitely going to play the demo, doesn't sound like major plot points are getting spoiled. Need to get the Kingdoms of Amalur demo installed and played. No interest in that game per se, but I like me some ME3 weapons and armor.

Because, I'm a Soldier, and I NEED MOAR GUNZ!

Hopefully, ME3 will use the same config style as ME2 (or even better, not encrypted at all) for modding. Ran the game through on Hardcore the first time, then Insanity, then tweaked the hell out of it (more ammo per thermal clip, more carried ammo, more bonus armor/shields for enemies, more incoming damage).

I'm also in the "I'm going to get it anyway, so no need to play the demo" camp, but is there some sort of eventual reward for playing the demo, like the "play the Kingdom of Amular demo and get a ME3 item" thing?

Yes, it's a "play the ME3 demo and get a Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning item" thing. Should've seen it coming.

I'm also in the "I'm going to get it anyway, so no need to play the demo" camp, but is there some sort of eventual reward for playing the demo, like the "play the Kingdom of Amular demo and get a ME3 item" thing?

Yes, it's a "play the ME3 demo and get a Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning item" thing. Should've seen it coming.

There are also free items for ME3 in both demos. So you'll need to play the amalur demo all the way through (pretty good, got a purchase out of me) and the ME3 demo all the way through ( I hope not too many spoilers) to get all the 'free' items.

And, cherry on top is that you'll need an Origin/EA account, even on Xbox/PS3

I'm also in the "I'm going to get it anyway, so no need to play the demo" camp, but is there some sort of eventual reward for playing the demo, like the "play the Kingdom of Amular demo and get a ME3 item" thing?

Yes, it's a "play the ME3 demo and get a Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning item" thing. Should've seen it coming.

And, cherry on top is that you'll need an Origin/EA account, even on Xbox/PS3

Wasn't that true for ME2 also? Or was it only necessary if you wanted some of the external stuff linked like the iOS game?

No, ME2 didn't require that. Now you did have to have an EA account to link to their Cerberus thing, but you could still own the game via other methods (such as Steam obviously).

And don't get me started on the fucking DLC on the PC. That was the biggest test of rage control I've ever gone through. Never before had I ever wanted so badly to murder innocent fluffy animals in front of their owners to see their lamentation.

And, cherry on top is that you'll need an Origin/EA account, even on Xbox/PS3

Wasn't that true for ME2 also? Or was it only necessary if you wanted some of the external stuff linked like the iOS game?

For ME2 I think you only need the account if you want DLC.

If you ever setup the Cerberus network, you already had an EA/Bioware account. I think that same account got converted to the Origin account. I know I bought DLC on either side of Origin's launch and I did not notice one way or the other. Can't recall one way or the other if setting up the Cerberus Network was required, I got it through Steam. Set everything up because of the included DLC (weapons, armor).

Mortus wrote:

And don't get me started on the fucking DLC on the PC. That was the biggest test of rage control I've ever gone through. Never before had I ever wanted so badly to murder innocent fluffy animals in front of their owners to see their lamentation.

And yes, Bioware's site was and still is a disaster. I'm trying to give you money, Y U MAK IT SO HRD?!

And, cherry on top is that you'll need an Origin/EA account, even on Xbox/PS3

Wasn't that true for ME2 also? Or was it only necessary if you wanted some of the external stuff linked like the iOS game?

No, ME2 didn't require that. Now you did have to have an EA account to link to their Cerberus thing, but you could still own the game via other methods (such as Steam obviously).

And don't get me started on the fucking DLC on the PC. That was the biggest test of rage control I've ever gone through. Never before had I ever wanted so badly to murder innocent fluffy animals in front of their owners to see their lamentation.

I never played any of the DLC for ME2 because I just gave up and didn't care enough to keep trying to figure it out. I also hope they can relax their "only on origin" policy. I am torn between reading the spoilers as they come out or trying to bury my head in the sand and hoping they loosen up. If they do sell it without the origin requirement, it will probably be months from now.

To be honest, I neither understand the hatred for Origin nor the hope that EA will drop it. Yes, Steam is better than everything else, but Origin is not as bad as GFWL. And surely if GFWL and Gamespy can stay live then so will Origin, at least for a few years.

Boycott Origin all you want, but hoping that EA will take it out of ME3 is like hoping Valve will take Steam out of TF2.

To be honest, I neither understand the hatred for Origin nor the hope that EA will drop it. Yes, Steam is better than everything else, but Origin is not as bad as GFWL. And surely if GFWL and Gamespy can stay live then so will Origin, at least for a few years.

Boycott Origin all you want, but hoping that EA will take it out of ME3 is like hoping Valve will take Steam out of TF2.

I have accounts on gamersgate, direct2drive, impulse, and steam. Every game I bought on a service other than steam, I have ended up buying again on steam. I am sick of everyone trying to create their own game delivery service. I want my games in one place, and I don't want to end up doing the exact same thing I did with so many other games.

1) Will Origin be a requirement to play all versions of Mass Effect 3? (Digital and/or from a retail brick and mortar store) Yes, Origin is required for all PC editions of Mass Effect 3, physical or digital.

2) Is constant Origin connection required or is it a single one off authentication when the game is first installed. Is there also a limit to the number of installations available? Mass Effect 3 will require a one time, single authorization for the single player game. There is no limit to the number of installs. Playing Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer will require a constant connection.

3) Is Origin required for the retail versions of the game?Origin is required for the PC versions of Mass Effect 3, both physical and digital.

4) Will ME3 be available on Steam?During initial release Mass Effect 3 will be available on Origin and a number of other 3rd party digital retailers, but not on Steam at this time. Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content. We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game, and are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our consumers.

5) Is there an opt in or opt out clause for data collection? Users will be allowed to opt-out of Mass Effect 3 data collection from inside the game.

Too bad, I really liked ME1 and 2, but if Origin is required to play ME3 then I'll skip it just like I skipped Battlefield 3. I'm not going to get sucked into installing a different front end on my computer for every publisher because they want to fight Valve/Steam. More to the point: Fuck EA.

Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content.

Yes, I am sure EA is quite concerned about everyone's ability to get patches.

I think the issue is that Steam requires DLC be sold through Steam (presumably with a cut taken by Valve) and EA and other pubs aren't necessarily too keen on this idea for obvious reasons. Or something like that. It's the same reason various games have been pulled from Steam over the past year.

Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content.

Yes, I am sure EA is quite concerned about everyone's ability to get patches.

I think the issue is that Steam requires DLC be sold through Steam (presumably with a cut taken by Valve) and EA and other pubs aren't necessarily too keen on this idea for obvious reasons. Or something like that. It's the same reason various games have been pulled from Steam over the past year.

I could almost sympathize with this, except their method of selling DLC for ME2 drove me to the point that I wanted to punch my cat. The company that made DLC for ME2 saying that steam is inconvienant for DLC delivery is a hilarious lack of awareness.